The U.S. Navy uses blockchain to improve security of avionics software during development and deployment. The Navy plans to enlist private sector expertise to research blockchain systems further.
The U.S. Navy plans to expand and accelerate research into using blockchain for data protection. As part of the initiative, the DOD unit announced it’s ready to enter a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with private sector representatives.
Representatives from TechLink, a DOD partner company, said that the U.S. Navy, as part of the CRADA, will provide private companies with access to the Powerful Authentication Regime Applicable to Naval Operational Flight Program Integrated Development (PARANOID) blockchain system developed by the Naval Air Warfare Center’s Aviation Division (NAWCAD). PARANOID can protect pilot and navigation system software during all development and deployment phases.
Nida Shaikh, Senior Technology Manager at TechLink, said the Navy is willing to agree with blockchain companies interested in developing a system to protect software supply chains. Shaikh said the ideal candidate for the Navy would be a software company interested in PARANOID’s scalability. The Navy plans to allow the private sector to not only test the blockchain system but also customize it for its own needs.
PARANOID was originally developed only for the Navy to secure avionics software. However, developers of the blockchain system assure that it can be applied to any software where the security factor is essential. This is exactly what’s planned to be tested in practice.
The principle of PARANOID is to check files at each stage of software development. All data is recorded on the blockchain, i.e., every developer’s action is recorded as an entry in an unchangeable activity log. If attackers try to hijack or break into the software by editing, replacing, or deleting code or files, such changes won’t pass PARANOID’s inspection. This ensures high security at all stages of software development and deployment.
Currently, the PARANOID working prototype is at tech readiness level TRL 5, so it has a laboratory prototype ready for simulation testing under near real-world conditions. The system can be integrated with open-source development environments such as Visual Studio and Visual Studio Code.
The U.S. Department of Defense is actively funding the development of blockchain apps as part of the Strategic Technology Focus Initiative (STRATFI).
